World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway completed a successful defence of his title in the Russian resort of Sochi last month.
The match against challenger Viswanathan Anand of India was the best of 12 games and showed that the pressure at this level affects even the world's best players. Carlsen won the second game with ominous ease, but Anand uncorked his deep opening preparation to win straight back in the third game to level the scores. This seemed to shake Carlsen's confidence and Anand drew the next few games comfortably. The key moment came in the sixth game. In an advantageous position Carlsen blundered, allowing Anand a chance to win two pawns and potentially turn the match. However, Anand saw the move too late and lost the game. The next few games were drawn, with Carlsen showing the effects of a cold. In the eleventh game, Anand found strong counterplay, but a moment of nerves meant he played a risky exchange sacrifice and wasn't able to withstand Carlsen's accurate play to press home his material advantage. This ended the match 6½- 4½ in Carlsen's favour.
Today's game is the final game of the match. Carlsen is White against Anand.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6
The Berlin Defence has become the standard elite response to the Ruy Lopez. 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8
Despite the exchange of queens' the game is still complex, with the two bishops compensating Black for the loss of castling rights and doubled pawns. 9.h3 Bd7 10.Nc3 h6 11.b3 Kc8 12.Bb2 c5 13.Rad1 b6 14.Rfe1 Be6 15.Nd5 g5!
The game revolves around White trying to support and advance his kingside pawn majority, while Black wants to increase the scope of his bishops – especially the unopposed light squared one. This move deprives White of the f4 square, which could lead to the exchange of knight for the e6 bishop, or support for e5 from the f-pawn. The hole created on f6 is not serious, as a knight planted there attacks nothing. 16.c4 Kb7 17.Kh2 a5 18.a4 Ne7 19.g4 Ng6 20.Kg3 Be7 21.Nd2 Rhd8 22.Ne4 Bf8 23.Nef6 b5! 24.Bc3
The pawn is immune e.g. 24.axb5?! a4 25.bxa4 Rxa4 attacking the weak c4 pawn and the Black knight is coming to f4 with full compensation. Once the knight on d5 is undermined the Black pieces will swarm the White position. Instead White keeps the a-file closed and bring his king up for support. 25... bxa4 25.bxa4 Kc6 26.Kf3 Rdb8
Another idea was 26... Be7 intending to exchange the f6 knight, which seems to ensure a slight edge to Black. 27.Ke4 Rb4!?
This sacrifice requires extremely accurate play to justify it and Anand proves unequal to the task. 27... Rb3 was equal, but Anand's need to win to get back in the match seems to have got the better of his judgement. 28.Bxb4 cxb4?
Already veering off course. 28... axb4 creates more problems for White e.g. 29.Nh5 Kb7! (29... Rxa4 30.Ra1 Rxa1 31.Rxa1 exchanges Black's rook and gives White the a-file) 30.Ra1 c6 31.Ne3 Re8! 32.Nf6 Re7 and White's inability to defend the pawn on e5 means he should take the draw by repetition 33.Ng8 (33.Rad1?! Bc8) 33... Re8 34.Nf6 etc. 29.Nh5! Kb7 30.f4 gxf4?!
Falling in with White's plan to expel the bishop from e6 and invade with his rook down the d-file. Highly complex is 30... Bd7!? 31.f5 Bxa4 32.fxg6 fxg6 33.Nhf6 Bc2+! 34.Kd4 Bxd1 35.Rxd1 c6, but after 26.Nd7! cxd5 27.cxd5 White seems to get the better of the ending, though there were more practical chances to go wrong. 31.Nhxf4 Nxf4 32.Nxf4 Bxc4 33.Rd7 Ra6
It's impossible to hold both c7 and f7. 34.Nd5 Rc6 35.Rxf7 Bc5 36.Rxc7+!
An accurate liquidation to a winning ending. 36... Rxc7 37.Nxc7 Kc6
Worse is 37... Kxc7? 38.Rc1 winning one of the bishops. The rooks now proves its superiority. 38.Nb5 Bxb5 39.axb5+ Kxb5 40.e6 b3 41.Kd3 Be7 42.h4 a4 43.g5 hxg5 44.hxg5 a3 45.Kc3 Resigns
Carlsen defends world title
Problem: White to play and mate in 4.
World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway completed a successful defence of his title in the Russian resort of Sochi last month.
The match against challenger Viswanathan Anand of India was the best of 12 games and showed that the pressure at this level affects even the world's best players. Carlsen won the second game with ominous ease, but Anand uncorked his deep opening preparation to win straight back in the third game to level the scores. This seemed to shake Carlsen's confidence and Anand drew the next few games comfortably. The key moment came in the sixth game. In an advantageous position Carlsen blundered, allowing Anand a chance to win two pawns and potentially turn the match. However, Anand saw the move too late and lost the game. The next few games were drawn, with Carlsen showing the effects of a cold. In the eleventh game, Anand found strong counterplay, but a moment of nerves meant he played a risky exchange sacrifice and wasn't able to withstand Carlsen's accurate play to press home his material advantage. This ended the match 6½- 4½ in Carlsen's favour.
Today's game is the final game of the match. Carlsen is White against Anand.
1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bb5 Nf6
The Berlin Defence has become the standard elite response to the Ruy Lopez.
4.O-O Nxe4
5.d4 Nd6
6.Bxc6 dxc6
7.dxe5 Nf5
8.Qxd8+ Kxd8
Despite the exchange of queens' the game is still complex, with the two bishops compensating Black for the loss of castling rights and doubled pawns.
9.h3 Bd7
10.Nc3 h6
11.b3 Kc8
12.Bb2 c5
13.Rad1 b6
14.Rfe1 Be6
15.Nd5 g5!
The game revolves around White trying to support and advance his kingside pawn majority, while Black wants to increase the scope of his bishops – especially the unopposed light squared one. This move deprives White of the f4 square, which could lead to the exchange of knight for the e6 bishop, or support for e5 from the f-pawn. The hole created on f6 is not serious, as a knight planted there attacks nothing.
16.c4 Kb7
17.Kh2 a5
18.a4 Ne7
19.g4 Ng6
20.Kg3 Be7
21.Nd2 Rhd8
22.Ne4 Bf8
23.Nef6 b5!
24.Bc3
The pawn is immune e.g. 24.axb5?! a4 25.bxa4 Rxa4 attacking the weak c4 pawn and the Black knight is coming to f4 with full compensation. Once the knight on d5 is undermined the Black pieces will swarm the White position. Instead White keeps the a-file closed and bring his king up for support.
25... bxa4
25.bxa4 Kc6
26.Kf3 Rdb8
Another idea was 26... Be7 intending to exchange the f6 knight, which seems to ensure a slight edge to Black.
27.Ke4 Rb4!?
This sacrifice requires extremely accurate play to justify it and Anand proves unequal to the task. 27... Rb3 was equal, but Anand's need to win to get back in the match seems to have got the better of his judgement.
28.Bxb4 cxb4?
Already veering off course. 28... axb4 creates more problems for White e.g. 29.Nh5 Kb7! (29... Rxa4 30.Ra1 Rxa1 31.Rxa1 exchanges Black's rook and gives White the a-file) 30.Ra1 c6 31.Ne3 Re8! 32.Nf6 Re7 and White's inability to defend the pawn on e5 means he should take the draw by repetition 33.Ng8 (33.Rad1?! Bc8) 33... Re8 34.Nf6 etc.
29.Nh5! Kb7
30.f4 gxf4?!
Falling in with White's plan to expel the bishop from e6 and invade with his rook down the d-file. Highly complex is 30... Bd7!? 31.f5 Bxa4 32.fxg6 fxg6 33.Nhf6 Bc2+! 34.Kd4 Bxd1 35.Rxd1 c6, but after 26.Nd7! cxd5 27.cxd5 White seems to get the better of the ending, though there were more practical chances to go wrong.
31.Nhxf4 Nxf4
32.Nxf4 Bxc4
33.Rd7 Ra6
It's impossible to hold both c7 and f7.
34.Nd5 Rc6
35.Rxf7 Bc5
36.Rxc7+!
An accurate liquidation to a winning ending.
36... Rxc7
37.Nxc7 Kc6
Worse is 37... Kxc7? 38.Rc1 winning one of the bishops. The rooks now proves its superiority.
38.Nb5 Bxb5
39.axb5+ Kxb5
40.e6 b3
41.Kd3 Be7
42.h4 a4
43.g5 hxg5
44.hxg5 a3
45.Kc3 Resigns
1-0
Solution: 1. Nf5+! exf5 (1... Kg8 2. Qg6+ Bg7 3.Qxg7#; 1... Kh7 2.Qf7+ Bg7 3.Qxg7#) 2. e6+ Kh7 (else 3.Qf7#) 3. Qf7+ Bg7 4. Qxg7#.